There are many stereotypes out there in the world; some are uncannily true (for the most part), and others are completely off. One group of sterotypes that I personally find to be accurate are those that are about us artists.
You hear all the time about "brooding artists", and their personality types or behaviors they tend to have. I'm about to share with you a short list of a few of these stereotypes that I find to be either funny or frustrating, but undeniably true.
1. You have some random paint spots on much of your clothing and belongings.
More often than not, I will find paint splotches on clothing of mine that I don't even remember painting in. Sometimes it's paint, sometimes it's clay, sometimes it's charcoal... the list goes on. Being an artist simply means that you literally live in your work.
2. We DO in fact tend to be moody.
Obviously, not all artists feel the need to spiral out of control on an Absinthe binge and cut our ears off. However, there are many many many of us that tend to fight either depression, anxiety, or both (or some other mental illness).
For me (I can't speak for all artists), I feel like art is one of the most helpful outlets when I am feeling overwhelmed with struggles. Don't believe me? Just take a quick trip to your favorite search engine and look up some statistics. I tend to have an issue where if I stop a project, it can be very difficult or take a lot of time for me to come back to a project and finish it.
3. I am literally holding a paint brush in my mouth right now, and painting intermittedly as I type this.
This pretty much speaks for itself. I am a serial multi-tasker, and once I get started on project, it's hard for me to stop sometimes.
4. Most artists are much harsher critics on themselves than others are.
This is something that I have personally dealt with in my life, and I don't see it ever going away. I am overly critical, analytical, and downright strange about my own artwork. I love to see and enjoy the work of others, though. I can't tell you how many countless hours I've spent "going back into a piece", that didn't really need going into.
5. Art suppliest take over all of your storgae space.
And believe me, buddy, they aren't cheap. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten myself in trouble by over-spending at the craft supply store. My cabinets, drawers, book cases, and closets all contain various art supplies stashed away. I tend to find things like paint brushes and random tubes of paint scattered all over my house.
No matter which stereotypes we do (or don't) fit, part of being an artist is embracing your differences with others, and creating. Personally, I have no problem with there being stereotypes for artists, because that just makes it easier for us to identify each other.
